Chicken Leek Bake
Let Me Tell You About Chicken Leek Bake…
This Chicken Leek Bake is the kind of thing I make when the weather turns moody, or frankly, whenever I’ve got more leeks in the fridge than sense. (You know the weeks—grocery store brain fog strikes!) The first time I ever made it, I burnt it a bit on the top, but the cheese was so crispy that half my family begged for me never to change it. And yes, I kept that crispy top, by accident and by design, just for them. Sometimes when I’m lazy, I just call it “creamy chicken with stuff very baked,” but whatever you call it, it’s homey and somehow always disappears way too fast.
Why You’ll Love This
I make this when everyone is grumbling about being cold or bored of pasta. The beauty? My family goes absolutely wild for it because it’s creamy without being too much and, well, you can sneak in peas or spinach without complaints (most of the time.) It’s my fallback when chicken is on sale, and honestly, even my picky nephew once licked his plate—though don’t worry, he’s only five. Plus, if you’re like me and don’t love cleaning up a million pans, it’s mostly one-dish. (Okay, two, if you count the pan, but who’s counting?)
What You’ll Need (But Don’t Stress If You’re Missing Something)
- 2-3 chicken breasts (or thighs honestly—I’ve even used leftover roast chicken; my gran used to swear by thighs, but I think either is fine)
- 2 leeks, washed & sliced (sometimes I swap one out with an onion if I’m running low. Ssh, don’t tell the leek police.)
- 200 ml double cream (I’ve used creme fraiche in a real pinch, it works okay)
- 1 handful grated cheddar (any tasty melty cheese you fancy—Red Leicester is lush, or just whatever’s lurking in the fridge)
- 1 cup chicken stock or even veggie stock, if that’s what you’ve got
- 1 tablespoon plain flour (I once had to use cornflour…not my best idea but it sorta worked)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, crushed (I double this sometimes, depends if I need to ward off vampires)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: handful frozen peas or small handful baby spinach (sneak them in for colour!)
How I Throw It Together (But You Do You)
- Preheat your oven to 200C (about 390F): I always forget until halfway and then have to wait; just saying.
- Cook the chicken: Cut it into bite-sized chunks or leave it whole—it’s honestly up to you. Fry it off in a bit of butter until juuust going opaque. You’re not looking for perfect golden, more of a how-do-you-do. Set aside.
- Leek Time! In the same pan (less washing up), throw in the leeks, a splash more butter if the pan’s dry, and the garlic. Gently cook until they’re soft and a little sweet-smelling. At this point, don’t panic if it looks a bit mushy—it sorts itself out later, promise.
- Make it creamy: Sprinkle the flour over the leeks, stir a bit (it’ll get clumpy, but that’s fine), then gradually pour in your chicken stock, stirring as you go. Once it’s all smooth-ish, splash in the cream, and watch it thicken. (This is where I usually sneak a taste because, well, who wouldn’t?)
- Combine and Bake: Toss your chicken back in, add peas or spinach if you like, season well, and tip the lot into an oven-proof dish. Scandalous opinion: more cheese is always better. Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake! Pop it in for about 20–30 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is getting that irresistible crispy edge. Don’t stress if it bubbles over a bit; mine always does. Just makes for more washing up, but who cares?
Some Notes I Learned the Hard (and Tasty) Way
- If your leeks look a bit sad, just slice off the rough edges; they perk up with cream.
- Once I used only single cream, and it split, but honestly, it still tasted good (though less pretty.)
- I sometimes prep this earlier in the day and bung it in the oven later. It’s forgiving like that.
Variations (a.k.a. My Kitchen Experiments)
- Once swapped out leeks for spring onions—tasted good, but less sweet. Kind of missed the oomph.
- Tried a layer of sliced potatoes underneath; that worked surprisingly well, though it took ages to cook. Oh, and mushrooms are good, too, if you like them.
- Tried with coconut cream; would not recommend—very weird, unless you’re going for an experimental fusion dinner. (I regretted it.)
What If I Don’t Have All the Gear?
You’ll want a decent frying pan and a baking dish. But, actually, I’ve cobbled this together in a shallow roasting tin when the baking dish went missing—just turn down the oven if it’s browning too fast. Mixing bowls? Optional. I sometimes just use the pan if I’m being lazy. (We’re all friends here, right?)
How Do You Store It?
So technically, you can cover it and stick it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheats in the microwave; tastes maybe even better the next day. But, honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day—the leftovers always vanish after midnight raids. If you have a tiny bit left, try it cold, on toast. Trust me.
And When Do We Eat It?
I usually serve Chicken Leek Bake with some crusty bread for mopping (my lot are bread monsters), or over buttery mash if it’s a real comfort-food-needing-type evening. We once tried it over pasta—oddly brilliant. Or if I can be bothered, a crunchy salad. But bread wins most times.
If I Could Go Back in Time… Pro Tips
- Once I tried rushing the roux (the flour and leek bit)—bad news. Sauce went lumpy. Now I take it slow, kettle on the boil, just breathe.
- Use baking paper under the dish if you hate scrubbing burnt cheese (I learned the hard way, thanks to last year’s Christmas incident.)
- I thought grating cheese fine would be best, but actually, bigger shreds give a better crispy top. Live and learn.
FAQ—Because People Really Do Ask
- Can I use frozen chicken? Yep! Just defrost it first. I did it once without proper thawing, and it went a bit watery but still edible.
- Is there a dairy-free version? Err… I’ve tried oat cream, and it’s ok, but nothing beats the proper stuff in my book.
- What else can I put in? Honestly, you could throw in whatever needs using up—leftover roast veg, spinach, even a few cherry tomatoes. Have a bit of fun with it.
- Do I need to cover it in the oven? Not really. I don’t unless the cheese starts going a bit too brown for my liking, then I chuck some foil on top until it calms down.
- Can I freeze Chicken Leek Bake? Sure can—it might split a bit when reheated, but I don’t mind. Just cover tightly. Defrost, zap in the microwave, or bake gentle-like in the oven.
Right, that’s my Chicken Leek Bake—messy, a bit rough round the edges, but always scrummy. If you give it a go, let me know how it turns out or if you’ve got a tweak that I should try (just, maybe, no more coconut cream, yeah?)
Ingredients
- 500g (1.1 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (240ml) double cream
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (100g) grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
-
1Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Grease a large baking dish with a little olive oil.
-
2Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
-
3In the same skillet, add leeks and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
-
4Gradually pour in chicken stock and cream, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
-
5Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and combine with the sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
-
6Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
